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June 26, 2014 11:32 AM UTC

Everybody's Talking About "Dr. Chaps"

  • 56 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols
Gordon Klingenschmitt.
Gordon Klingenschmitt.

​A Republican Colorado House primary victory Tuesday is getting a lot of attention around the nation today, as Gordon "Dr. Chaps" Klingenschmitt's reputation as a fringe right nutjob of the highest order gets reconciled with his entirely possible swearing in as a Colorado legislator next January. A brief roundup of Klingenschmitt coverage, starting with our friends at Right Wing Watch:

Last year, "Dr. Chaps" Gordon Klingenschmitt announced that he was running for a seat in Colorado's legislature and his long history as a disgraced former Navy Chaplain who brags about having successfully performed an exorcism on a lesbian soldier and who has stated again and again that demonic spirits are behind everything from abortion to gay marriage to ENDA to President Obama to Madonna won him the support of the vast majority of GOP caucus-goers earlier this year, setting up a primary showdown against another GOP hopeful which took place last night.

Klingenschmitt won that primary race by several hundred votes, becoming the official Republican nominee for House District 15 in the Colorado House of Representatives…

Just let that sink in: a man who thinks that "Obamacare causes cancer," that the Bible commands people to own guns in order to "defend themselves against left wing crazies," and that the FCC is allowing demonic spirits to "molest and visually rape your children" is now a Republican candidate for office.

Wonkette:

There is simply too much that is wonderful about this big win. This is a guy who worries that evil spirits from gay people are turning animals gay. A candidate who urges photographers to free themselves from the tyranny of having to take pictures of same-sex weddings by printing up business cards proclaiming that gays should be stoned to death. A gentleman who has detected signs of demonic possession in Disney kids’ shows.

Huffington Post's Marina Fang:

He's also obsessed with demons, connecting them to many people and issues. For instance, he thinks "a demon of tyranny" has possessed President Barack Obama and is oppressing America, a demon has led the Federal Communications Commission to enforce lax decency standards and "molest and visually rape your children," and "a demon of murder" controls Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis (D) and her pro-choice stance…

If elected, Klingenschmitt hopes to introduce legislation allowing businesses and religious organizations to deny services to gay couples.

Raw Story's David Ferguson:

Human beings are not the only creatures at risk from “gay demons,” Klingenschmitt believes. Animals, too, he said, can be possessed by them as well.

Right Wing Watch’s Kyle Mantyla wrote, “Klingenschmitt is a viciously anti-gay theocrat who openly proclaims that American law must reflect God’s law, which is why gay people should be discriminated against since only people who are going to heaven are entitled to equal treatment by the government.”

Klingenschmitt also said that gay soldiers are unfit for combat because they are constantly “taking breaks on the combat field to change diapers all because their treacherous sin causes them to lose control of their bowels.”

There's not a lot for us to add here, as Mr. Klingenschmitt himself leaves very little to the imagination in his lurid, obsessive rants about gay people on his little show. But should Klingenschmitt prevail in this GOP-leaning district against Democrat Lois Fornander this November, the damage he stands to do to the Republican brand as a state legislator may be as good for Democrats as winning the seat.

Move over, "Anus Granny."

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56 thoughts on “Everybody’s Talking About “Dr. Chaps””

  1. Is he really that much worse than Dave Schultheis, Charlie Duke, Doug Lamborn or any member of the Tebedo family?  He's a good fit for that county…….

  2. Why is Klingenschmitt considered a Right Wing Nut Job and not a prototypical Republican? Are there any Republicans out there willing to dispute anything Klingenschmitt says? I think you'd be hard pressed to find any Republican who wouldn't support stoning gays and women (only) caught in adultery. Any Republican out there who would argue against Klingenschmitt's definition of religious freedom, that is, he's free to impose his religious beliefs on you?

    OK, I'll grant that there may be a few who would dispute that TEH GHEY demon infects animals. I guess they'd be called moderate Republicans.

      2. That's one of a number of big inconsistencies in right wing thinking.  (And I use the word "thinking" really loosely.)  They castigate Obama for his efforts at delivering on (what they label) the radical gay agenda at the same time they accuse him of allowing introduction of Sharia law.  Don't they understand that one of the fundamental tenets of Sharia law is to exterminate the gay community?  

        2. Why should I? When it's not inconvenient to admit, liberals denigrate religion all the time. There are liberals doing so in the comments here right now, and still you deny it? Ridiculous.

          3. "If Christian influence were wiped from conservatism, conservatism would thrive."  A conservative.

            http://www.theamericanconservative.com/conservative-atheists-speak-up-about-cpac-shunning/

            Face it, Moddy.  You want this to be about left and right, but it's not.  Atheism isn't just for us socialists anymore.  Many atheists do denegrate religion, which is entirely within their right.  I don't agree with them (although an atheist, I've found some value in religion for others), but neither do I believe religion or religious conviction should be any more free of questioning or ridicule than any other popular ideas.  You want to hold religion out as something more precious, more important, more essential to the fabric of our society than other moral, ethical, or political philosophies.  It simply isn't.

      2. Please back up your contention that liberals spit on religion. 

        Incidentally liberals can produce dozens of examples of righties spitting on religious beliefs other than those they subscribe to. Just ask and give us a minute to google.

        Do you agree with this person's expressed views?

        Do you find him to be rational? 

        Would you support a person holding these views with your vote?

        Will you bother to reply?

         

        1. In Moddy-world, it's ok to spit on non-Christian (well, maybe Catholicism too) religions.  By "Religion", he means his Protestant sect, whatever that might be.

            1. Sounds about right.  My Southern Baptist parents had enough of the ugly side of organized religion, so decided not to inflict formal church-going upon their children, preferring to impart the principles of faith, honor and respect at home, without benefit of the fire, brimstone and general intolerance of those unlike us.

            1. So tell us what you disagree with.

              At least tell us if you think that animals are possessed by TEH GHAY demon. Let's see if you merit the "moderate" in your name.

              It shouldn't be, but apparently it is necessary to point out that disagreement is not the same as censorship.

               

            2. Answer the damn question, Gessler FanBoy — tell us all SPECIFICALLY with which parts of Dr, Chaps' manifesto you disagree.

              Or will you slink away yet again without answering like a snievelling GOP liar, hyporcite and coward?

            4. His right to say it wasn't among my questions. My questions was do you personally agree with his views? Do you find his views rational? Would you personally be willing to vote for a person holding these views? 

              Of course he has the right to express his views. But others, including you, have an equal right to decide whether or not to support him based on those expressed views. Non-responsive answer, Modster.

      3. Why not?!

        BECAUSE I SHOULDN'T!

        Isn't that good enough for you? Doesn't that explain everything in a perfectly authoritative, reasonable, and rational manner?

         

      4. Mod, so I should count you as one of those whose religious liberty is defined by your ability to impose your religion on others, right? Do you also support stoning of miscreants, including unruly children? Do you hate our freedoms so much that you are willing to give this Dr. Chaps scumbag authority over your life? That's what theocracy gets you.

        On another thread you stated that religious beliefs deserve respect. Jim Garrow, the guy who claims that President Obama tried to nuke North Carolina, also claims that “His marxist muslim favorings lead to the trashing of the Judeo-Christian roots of America and its blessings from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To sing the praises of allah and to replace the God that loved us enough to send His own Son to die in our place as a propitiation for our sins, with the death cult of the muslim is to insult the very basis on which the nation is founded.“ Assuming Garrow is correct in his assertion of Obama's religious commitment, aren't you required to respect this commitment?

          1. Simple stereotypes, neatly arranged into a simple worldview, without any room whatsoever to question their vaildity.  It dosen't work any other way in Moddys world.

          1. Morally, ethically and intellectually dishonest people like you are simply incapable of recognizing or determining another's veracity.

            Besides, everyone you listen to on the right lies to you. Why woud you suddenly start objecting to alleged lies from the left?

      8. I spit on my religion every day – yep. Get a clue, Moddy.

        On the other hand, I do strongly disagree with Dr. Chaps in his interpretation of our supposedly shared religion. And I even more strongly disagree on his interpretation of our Constitution and how it should interact with his version of Christianity.

        That's not spitting on religion. That's protecting the separation of Church and State and offering up a theological debate.

        1. And protecting freedom of religion as our founders intended by placing it outside the realm of those things which fall under the authority of government via the majority rules democratic process.

      9. Geebus Moddy, suppose there's a reason for that, and what is it you cons have with spitting ?At least it wasn't ankle-grabbing another of your favorite metaphors.

      1. Klingenschmitt's discharge was technically "honorable" – he actually posted his DD214 online, as people were questioning it.

        However, what he is not promoting, but reasonable people need to promote, is that his discharge was:

        as a result of a court martial for insubordination

        the insubordination was NOT  for "praying in Jesus' name", as he claimed

        he defied a direct order from his CO, and improperly wore his Navy chaplain's uniform to a political protest at the white house

        After the court proceedings, he sued and was able to get the discharge changed to "honorable".

        I think if these facts were more widely known in the military community of the Springs, Klingenschmitt would have less support.

        His platform can be seen on his Facebook page, with his "Trading Cards" series: "If Chaps were in Charge". Some horrifying stuff here; yet I'm sure this is his attempt to be a moderate Republican.

         

         

         

  5. I don't know, folks. This could be the most entertaining session since Doug Bruce was (briefly) in the Statehouse. This time, instead of kicking a reporter, maybe Dr. C. will try to "cleanse the Chamber of liberal demons".

      1. I recall a group of theocrats running around in D.C. anointing the doorways of congress. Perhaps Klingenschmitt will try the same thing, and then……slip and fall!

      1. Yup. Doug Bruce got himself appointed to the HD15 seat in 2007, and then maneuvered his swearing-in date so that he got a four year term instead of a two year term.

        So yes, HD15 has given Colorado more than its share of "characters".

        1. Well, technically, it was to qualify for an extra term to get around the term limits law.  But as we all know, all his scheming barely got him one year in office, but made quite the splash:

          Swearing-in controversy

          Censure

          Removal from committee

          Per diem controversy

          "Illiterate peasants" comments

          Sexual harassment complaint

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_House_career_of_Douglas_Bruce

          Not to mention being a slum lord and deadbeat tax cheat.

          1. Terry Pratchett:

            And, while it was regarded as pretty good evidence of criminality to be living in a slum, for some reason owning a whole street of them merely got you invited to the very best social occasions.

             

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